History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 152

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Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Annon the oldest s Ida F., who died at the old home, wife of William rout, leaving a son and daughter. Clara Alice, wife of W. Kirk, who is a minister in the Church of the Brethren d also an elder, at Hammond, West Virginia, she is a mother of three sons and seven daughters. Alonzo died childhood. Lloyd Wilson lives at Clarksburg. James M. a resident of Ohio County, near Wheeling. Walter H., , youngest, is a mail carrier out of Thornton. He was

drafted in the service of his country, March 5, 1918, was sent to Camp Greenleaf, Georgia, and from there was trans- ferred to New Haven, Connecticut, to the Medical depart- ment, and served until January 2, 1919, when he was hon- orably discharged. Lloyd Wilson, who lives at Clarksburg, married Allie Robinson, and has three children, Edith Edna, sixteen years old will graduate in the spring of 1922, Marjora Mildred and Alberta.

BENJAMIN T. NEAL, JR. The ancestor of the Neal family was Capt. James Neal, who changed his name from O'Neal during the Revolutionary war because one of his brothers was a colonel in the British Army. Capt. James Neal was born about 1737, and raised a company to join Wash- ington's Army at Valley Forge and subsequently was offered a commission as major in the army of General Greene. After the war he returned to his home in Greene County, Pennsylvania. He keenly felt the poverty of the frontier, and is said to have sold a land grant of four thousand acres in Ohio for three hundred dollars. In the spring of 1783, as a deputy surveyor, he surveyed the preemption right and settlement claim of Alexander Parker of Pitts- burgh, the land upon which the city of Parkersburg has since been built. In the fall of 1785 he again left Penn- sylvania, with a party of men bound for the Kentucky country, but he and some of his companions stopped at the mouth of Little Kanawha and decided to make permanent settlement. Here they erected the block house afterward known as Neal's Station, the first structure of the kind in what is now Wood County. In the spring of 1787 Captain Neal returned with his family to Neal's Station. During succeeding years, until the victory of General Wayne in 1795, this settlement was exposed to recurring raids of Indians, during one of which a son of Captain Neal was killed. He was not only the first settler but always first in the affairs of his neighborhood until his death, which occurred at Neal's Station in February, 1822. He was a captain of Frontier Rangers, and held the office of justice of the peace and commissioner for the examination of sur- veyors. His first wife, Hannah Hardin, who died in 1784, was a sister of Col. John Hardin, a distinguished char- acter of the Revolution and founder of the Hardin family of Kentucky. She was the mother of all but one of Capt. James Neal's children. His two sons who continued his posterity under the family name were John and James Hardin.

Of these John Neal was born in Greene County, Penn- sylvania, May 10, 1776, and died October 14, 1823. He was prominent in the affairs of Wood County, was a mem- ber of the County Court from May 12, 1800, until his death, served as high sheriff from 1807 to 1809, and in 1809 was elected a member of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, serving two terms. In 1796 he married Ephlis Hook, who was born about 1780 and died June 27, 1852. She was the mother of thirteen children, fourth among whom was Cincinnatus James Neal.

Cincinnatus James Neal, representing the third genera- tion of the family in Wood County, was born January 1, 1803, and died August 25, 1869. On February 24, 1836, he married Mary Ann Collins. Their children were: Vir- ginia M., Benjamin Tomlinson, Mary L., John Collins, Narcissa P., Guy A., Libbie B., Eliza K. and Deric P. Cincinnatus Neal during a number of years was a mer- chant in Parkersburg, and subsequently at Cleveland, Ohio. His son, Benjamin Tomlinson Neal, Sr., was born at Park- ersburg in February, 1838, and in 1867 was appointed the first agent at Parkersburg for the Adams Express Com- pany. With this corporation he remained a faithful and responsible employe and official for more than forty years. In 1884 he was transferred to Columbus, Ohio, where he remained until he retired in 1910, but he died at Parkers- burg. His wife, Sallie Burns Shrewsbury, was born June 24, 1840, and died December 18, 1881. She was the mother of four children: Fannie S., wife of Frank P. Moats; Benjamin Tomlinson, Jr .; Edward Burns, court official; and Wellington V.

Benjamin T. Neal, Jr., who therefore represents the

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fifth generation of the family in Wood County, was born December 2, 1873. He acquired a public school educa- tion, and since the age of sixteen has been connected with the banking business at Parkersburg. For fifteen years he was an employe of the Second National Bank, but since 1903 has been with the Union Trust & Deposit Company, of which he is treasurer. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The church of the family is the Episcopal and nearly all those descended from Cin- cinnatus Neal have been republicans in politics.

Benjamin T. Neal, Jr., married Mabelle Armstrong, daughter of William and Emily (Shannon) Armstrong. Their two children are Clifford B. and Emily A., and Clif- ford is now the only descendant in the fourth generation of the family of Cincinnatus Neal.

WHEELING TRACTION COMPANY. The Wheeling Traction Company has played an important part in advancing the civic and material interests of Wheeling and the Ohio Valley, progressing from the old-time horse car mode of transportation to an extensive city and interurban elec- tric railway system, giving service of inestimable value to the public.

In 1863 the Citizens Railway Company of Wheeling gave to Wheeling its first street railway service, consisting of horse-drawn cars which operated on wooden tracks. The line extended from South Wheeling to North Wheeling and from Wheeling to Bridgeport, Ohio. This service was con- tinued until 1887, when the Wheeling Railway Company was organized and combined with the Citizens Railway Company. After this consolidation the lines of the Citizens Railway in Wheeling were electrified and electric cars were operated on the old horse-car tracks.

The first electric cars operated in Wheeling were known as the Vanderpool type. The motor was in the front cab and was geared with a sprocket chain running from the motor to a sprocket wheel on the axle of the car. These cars could only be operated in one direction and it was necessary to have turntables or a "Y" at any point where it was necessary to turn the car. Wheeling was the third city in the United States to have an electric street railway system.

The track was constructed with a flat rail similar to that used on the horse car lines and was laid on a 6 by 6 inch wooden stringer with cross ties every five feet. Power was conveyed to the car with two overhead trolley wires, as no return was used through the rail.

In 1889 the electric railway was extended south into Benwood. In 1893 the new Back River Bridge was built and the electric line extended to Bridgeport, Ohio. The Bellaire, Bridgeport and Martins Ferry Street Railway Company was also organized and built a line during this year from Bellaire through Bridgeport to Martins Ferry, Ohio. In 1895 another company was organized and a line was built from Beuwood to Moundsville, West Virginia. 1n 1898 an electric line was built from Steubenville, Ohio, to Brilliant, Ohio, by a number of Wheeling capitalists. In 1899 the Wheeling Railway Company was re-organized under the name of the Wheeling Traction Company, and it took over the interests of the Wheeling Railway Com- pany, the Bridgeport, Bellaire & Martins Ferry Street Railway Company, which covered the lines on the Ohio side of the Ohio River, and the lines between Benwood and Moundsville. In 1901 the Northern Ohio Valley Rail- way Company was organized by Wheeling people, which company was later known as the Pan Handle Traction Company, and an electric railway line was built between Wheeling, West Virginia, and Wellsburg, West Virginia. Two years later this line was extended to Lazearville, West Virginia. In 1902 the line between Steubenville and Bril- liant was acquired by the Wheeling Traction Company.

In 1904 a line was built by the Tri-State Railway Com- pany, later known as the Steubenville, Wellsburg & Weir- ton Railway Company, from Wellsburg to Steubenville, and about two years later a line was built from East Steuben- ville to Weirton, West Virginia. In this same year, or iu 1904, the Wheeling Traction Company extended its lines from Bridgeport to Barton, Ohio. In 1906 the line was

extended from Martins Ferry, Ohio, to Rayland, Ohio, and in 1907 the Bellaire line was extended to Shadyside, Ohio. In 1912 the stock of the Wheeling Traction Com- pany was taken over by the West Penn Railways Com- pany of Pittsburgh. In 1917 the West Penn Railways Company took over the Steubenville, Wellsburg & Weirton Railway Company, operating between Steubenville and Wellsburg and Steubenville and Weirton. These last named lines are now being operated under lease by the Wheeling Traction Company.

The first power plant was installed in an old skating rink in South Wheeling, and in later years was moved to a more substantial building at Forty-second Street, Wheeling. At the present time power to operate the cars is largely obtained from the Windsor Power Plant located at Beech Bottom, West Virginia, about twelve miles north of Wheeling.

The Wheeling Traction Company has kept up with the electric railway industries throughout the country, and today has on its lines double truck steel passenger cars of the latest design. On the interurban lines large ceu- ter entrance steel type cars are used. There is operated daily seventy cars on regular schedules; in addition, freight and express cars are operated daily between Wheeling and Moundsville and Wheeling and Steubenville-Weirton. The track and overhead lines have been rebuilt and maintained in accordance with standard practice of modern railway construction, and at present the system comprises 101 miles of track.

The company has a corps of about 600 employes, in- cluding those in the transportation, track and shop de- partments. The shops and barns of the company are located on Wheeling Island, McMechen, West Virginia, Beech Bottom, West Virginia, and at Follansbee, West Virginia. During the year 1921, 27,000,000 passengers were carried on the lines of the company.

From the beginning the local stockholders and executives of the Wheeling Traction Company have been men of rep- resentative citizenship and financial stability. Through the untiring efforts of C. P. Billings, vice-president, the service on the lines has been greatly improved and the fares charged by the company most equitably adjusted.

C. BURTON STALNAKER found his work ready for him when he reached the years of manhood and the necessary qualifications, took an increasing share in the burdeus of management from the shoulders of his father, and sub- sequently acquired the entire homestead of the Stalnakers ou Little Stoue Coal Creek in Lewis County, five miles east of Weston. Mr. Stalnaker is one of the principal feeders and shippers of livestock in this part of West Virginia.

He was born on his present farm August 19, 1875, son of Sobieski and Christina (Waggoner) Stalnaker. His father was born in Harrison County, West Virginia, Jau uary 8, 1839, and his mother, in Lewis County, near Jane- lew, November 6, 1835. Sobieski Stalnaker was a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Mcwhorter) Stalnaker, the for- mer born near the present site of Janelew in 1800 and the latter born in 1811. Samuel Stalnaker had a family of fourteen children, named Andrew, John, Charles, Julian. Levi, Levi 2nd, Marion, Walter, Sobieski, Amanda, Whit- man, Margaret, Adam and Elizabeth.

C. Burton Stalnaker has always lived at the old home. stead, and began performing some of its practical duties while attending school. After his marriage he became a partner with his father in the management of the 600 acres, and in 1916 he bought the livestock and land and has since carried on a large and profitable business in the feeding and shipping of livestock of all kinds. He has shipped many carloads in a single shipment. Besides the stock he huys he maintains good grades of cattle, horses and sheep. A considerable portion of his 600 acres is underlaid with coal, and shafts have been opened at twc places, with a normal capacity of two carloads daily.

On August 19, 1897, Mr. Stalnaker married Agnes Lee Hefner, who was born in Upshur County, West Virginia, October 9, 1878, daughter of William T. and Virginia (Farrell) Hafner. Her parents were natives of Upshur

J. C. Telton

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ounty. Mr. and Mrs. Stalnaker have two children. Reta ., born June 13, 1898, completed the course of the pub- c schools and is the wife of Clark Smith, a farmer, who in partnership with Mr. Stalnaker. Leda A. is now student in the Western High School. The family are embers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Stal- aker has taken a prominent and official part in his home lurch and has been superintendent of the Sunday school. le is affiliated with Golden Lodge No. 139, Independent rder of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America, nd does his political duty as a republican.

JOHN C. FELTON. One of the venerable and honored tizens of Barbour County is Capt. John C. Felton, who sides upon his fine homestead farm in the Valley of the ygart River, below Berryburg Junction. The Captain as born in the family home on the summit of a hill at owlesburg, Preston County, September 5, 1842, and is a randson of John Felton, who settled in that locality in le early days, upon removal from Frederick County, Vir- inia. John Felton was born at Taneytown, Maryland, and is settlement in what is now Prestou County, West Virginia, ccurred almost a century ago. He served as magistrate nd later as sheriff in that county, he having been a man £ marked ability and sterling character, and thus having een well qualified for leadership in community affairs, the hile he became one of the substantial pioneer farmers of reston County. He was first a whig and later a repub- can in politics, and he and his wife held membership in ne Methodist Church. The family name of Mrs. Felton as McHenry, and both attained to advanced age, he having een almost about seventy years of age at the time of his eath, about 1850. Their children were nine in number: enry, John, Joshua, Caleb, Samuel, Betsy (Mrs. Wetzell), rudence (Mrs. Wotring), Sarah (Mrs. Judon), and Mary. [enry Felton, father of Captain Felton of this sketch, was orn in the year 1801 and was about eleven years old at le time of the family removal to Preston County. His yalty to the Union at the time of the Civil war was manifested in service in behalf of the cause, though he was ixty years of age at the outbreak of the war, and he was aus in the Federal service when he was so badly injured I a railroad wreck near Fairmont that his death soon nsued, in 1864, his command having been on its way to e discharged and his death having occurred about two reeks after the wreck mentioned. He had given three ears of gallant service as a member of the Sixth West irginia Volunteer Infantry. His active career was marked y close association with farm enterprises in Preston County, is home having been near the present town of Albright t the time of his death. He married Catherine Watring, he original spelling of the family name having been Wot- ing, and Abraham Wotring having settled in Pennsylvania bout the time of the birth of Gen. George Washington. Irs. Felton long survived her husband and continued her esidence on the old homestead near Albright until her death 1 1890. William, eldest of the children, passed his entire fe in Preston County, was a road-builder by occupation nd was past seventy years of age when he died, a number f children surviving him. Elias died when a young lan. Malinda became the wife of Jacob Funk and died in 'reston County. Daniel was one of the venerable residents f that county at the time of his death. Henry was a Union oldier in the Civil war, as a member of the Seventeenth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, and after the war he as a successful farmer. He was killed by a railroad train 1 1892, and was survived by a number of his children. 'lizabeth, the wife of Elisha Atha, died near Steubenville, hio. Eleanor died in Preston County. Her husband saac Whetzell, died while in service as a Union soldier in je Civil war. Captain John C., of this review, is the oungest of the number.

John Clay Felton was reared in Preston County, along je Cheat River, and well recalls the construction of the altimore & Ohio Railroad line through Rowlesburg, where e saw the first locomotive cross the bridge. He continued is residence in his native county until 1869, when he re-

moved to Barbour County. Prior to this it had been his desire to render loyal service as a Union soldier in the Civil war. He enlisted in Company A, Seventh West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, won promotion to the office of corporal and later to that of sergeant, and he continued in service with his original company until near the close of the war, he having re-enlisted at the close of his first term and he having received, under date of May 9, 1865, com- mission as first lieutenant of Company F of the same regi- ment. On the 26th of the same month he was commissioned captain of his company, a few days prior to the surrender of General Lee. Samuel Snyder was captain of Company A when Captain Felton first entered the service, his suc- cessor having been Captain Thomas Elliott, who later was succeeded by Captain John Fordyce. At the battle of Antietam the Seventh West Virginia Infantry lost one- third of its members in killed and wounded. Thereafter Captain Felton took active part in the battles of Freder- icksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, in which last he witnessed the famous charge of the Confederate forces under Gen. George E. Pickett. Thereafter Captain Felton took part in the Wilderness campaign, and fought at Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor. His regiment next took part in engagements around Petersburg, including the battles at Ream's Station and Hatchers Run. The command followed the retreating Confederate forces and at the time of the surrender of General Lee was about one-half mile in the rear of the main army. The regiment took part in the grand review of the victorious forces in the City of Washington, and at Wheeling, West Virginia, Captain Felton received his honorable discharge on the 1st of July, 1865, he having never been wounded or otherwise injured in his remarkably active career at the front. He became one of the organic members of the post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Rowlesburg, later was affiliated with the post at Philippi and is now a member of Reno Post at Grafton. He has attended numerous West Virginia state encampments of this patriotic fraternity as well as the national encampments held at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Columbus, Ohio; and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Captain Felton cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, and has continued in unfaltering allegiance to the republican party. He served ten years as magistrate in Pleasant District, Barbour County, and he and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was formerly in active affiliation with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

After his marriage, in 1869, Captain Felton soon removed to Clover District, Tucker County, where he continued his association with farm enterprise until 1891, since which year he has resided on his present homestead in Barbour County, where substantial success has attended his activities in the cattle and dairy business, the raising of poultry and the carrying on of general agriculture, his farm being one of the well improved places of the county.

July 1, 1869, recorded the marriage of Captain Felton and Miss Susanna M. Martin, who was born in Barbour County, September 29, 1845, and, like her husband, she acquired her education in the pioneer subscription schools, which were maintained in log buildings of the type common to the period and locality. Mrs. Felton is a daughter of Henry D. and Margaret (Means) Martin, the former a native of Barbour County and the latter of Preston County, their remains resting in the family burying ground on the old home farm in Barbour County. Barbara, eldest of the Martin children, became the wife of Sanford Scott, and she remained in Barbour County until her death; Anthony was one of the successful farmers of this county at the time of his death; Isaac died at Mount Morris, this county ; Catherine married Ezekiel Hart and died at Peeltree, Bar- bour County; Jacob was a Union soldier in the Civil war and was killed in battle at Cedar Creek; Apalonia is the wife of E. C. Hull, and they reside in the State of Iowa; Matilda, wife of George Ryan, died in that state; George was a farmer at the old home place at Cove Run at the time of his death; Mrs. Felton was the next in order of birth; Lizzie became the wife of David Menear; Margaret

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is the wife of Upton Forman, of Weaverville, North Caro- lina; and Eveline (Mrs. Charles Cornwell) died in Barbour County.

In conclusion is given brief record concerning the children of Captain and Mrs. Felton: Henry Warren died in young manhood, in 1891. George C., who now has charge of the county farm in Taylor County, married Maggie Leach, and their children are Florin, Tracy, Leta, Pearl and Uriel. Jacob F., who resides at Clarksburg, this state, mar- ried Lula Saffel, and they have four children: Lillie, Howard, Bernard and Warren. Maggie is the wife of Ira Hoffman, of Arden, Barhour County, and they have five children : Lalah, Gerald, Clifford, William and Mary. Edgar C., who is associated with his father in the manage- ment of the home farm, married Miss Maude Proudfoot, and they have three children: Beulah L., Deveda Grace and Virginia Susanna. Harlan A. is identified with coal mining at Simpson, Taylor County, the maiden name of his wife having been Bessie McDaniel, and their children being five in number: Harold, John, Audrey, Edna and Hoy. Lizzie is the wife of Lee Colebank, who lives in Monongalia County, West Virginia, but whose post office is at Point Marion, Pennsylvania, and they have seven children: James, Opal, Mildred, John, Donald, Marguerite and Ralph. Upton, the youngest of the children, has proved the rover of the family and has variously employed himself in different parts of West Virginia and other states.

RALPH H. MCDANNOLD, M. D. To the profession and practice of medicine and surgery Doctor McDannold has devoted the best years of his mature life, and is one of the valued men of his home community at Horner in Lewis County.

Doctor MeDannold was born in Lewis County, two miles north of Weston, July 1, 1877. His grandfather, Thomas McDannold, was a native of old Virginia and died June 29, 1869, while his wife, Nancy Stewart, died July 17, 1881. Their children were Samuel, Elizabeth, Addison, Julia, Archie and Virginia. Of these Samuel MeDannold became a physician, and had the unique distinction of prac- ticing three-quarters of a century. He died at the age of ninety-six. Addison McDannold, father of Dr. Ralph Mc- Dannold, was born in Bath County, Virginia, October 20, 1835, and died January 14, 1896. His wife, Amanda Simpson, was born May 8, 1838, and died July 29, 1911. They were married June 19, 1859, and then settled on a farm in the Polk District of Lewis County. In 1880 Addi- son McDannold was elected sheriff of Lewis County on the democratic ticket, and filled that office with admirable efficiency for four years. After that he took up farming again on Polk Creek, and lived there until his death. He was the father of five children: William, born July 16, 1860; Lucy, born December 15, 1864, and died October 14, 1885; Eliza, born September 27, 1867; Miss Bessie, born July 7, 1875; and Dr. Ralph H.

Dr. Ralph H. MeDannold grew up on his father's farm in Lewis County. He had a public school education and for several years worked at farming. Later he entered the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville, where he graduated M. D., July 12, 1905. For a time Doctor Mc- Dannold practiced in Randolph and Upshur counties, but now for a number of years has been given the benefit of his skill and experience to his extensive practice at Horner. He is a member of the County and State Medical associa- tions.

On August 10, 1910, Doctor McDannold married Lenora Harper, formerly a teacher in Randolph County, West Virginia. She died March 14, 1912, and her only child is deceased. On June 4, 1913, Doctor McDannold married Luna Phillips. They are members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. He is affiliated with Rock Cave Lodge, F. and A. M .; Golden Lodge No. 139, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Modern Woodmen of America, while Mrs. McDannold is a member of the Eastern Star. In politics he is of the democratic faith.

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History of West Virginia old and new, Volume 3, Part 152

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